Posted on 04/10/2005 11:07:44 AM PDT by AntiGuv
WASHINGTON - The No. 3 Republican in the Senate said Sunday that embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay needs to answer questions about his ethics and "let the people then judge for themselves."
Sen. Rick Santorum's comments seem to reflect the nervousness among congressional Republicans about the fallout from the increased scrutiny into DeLay's way of doing business.
DeLay, R-Texas, has been dogged in recent months by reports of possible ethics violations. There have been questions about his overseas travel, campaign payments to family members and his connections to lobbyists who are under investigation.
"I think he has to come forward and lay out what he did and why he did it and let the people then judge for themselves," said Santorum, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
"But from everything I've heard, again, from the comments and responding to those, is everything he's done was according to the law," Santorum told ABC's "This Week."
"Now you may not like some of the things he's done," Santorum said. "That's for the people of his district to decide, whether they want to approve that kind of behavior or not."
DeLay was admonished three times last year by the House ethics committee. He has blamed his woes on Democrats, liberal interest groups and the media.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said last week that the controversy was distracting DeLay from dealing with more pressing problems before Congress.
Santorum, however, said DeLay is "very effective in leading the House" and that "to date, has not been compromised."
A senior Democratic senator, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, had this advice for the Republicans who control both the House and Senate: "Be careful about how closely you embrace Mr. DeLay."
Dodd cited the new rules for the ethics committee that House Republicans rammed through in the wake of DeLay's difficulties. Those rules require a bipartisan vote before an investigation can be launched. DeLay's office also helped mount a counterattack last fall against Rep. Joel Hefley (news, bio, voting record), R-Colo., who was the ethics committee chairman when it came down against DeLay.
"Unfortunately, in his particular case, there's a process that he's tried to change so they could actually reach a determination as to whether or not he's innocent or guilty of the things he's been charged with," Dodd said. "But this is not going to go away."
DeLay "becomes the poster child for a lot of the things the Democrats think are wrong about Republican leadership. As long as he's there, he's going to become a pretty good target," Dodd said on ABC.
The House leader, who took center stage in passing legislation designed to keep alive Terri Schiavo, also has found that President Bush and congressional colleagues are distancing themselves from his comments, after her death, about judges involved in her case.
"The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior," DeLay said, raising the prospect of impeaching members of a separate and independent branch of government. Later, he complained of "an arrogant and out of control judiciary that thumbs its nose at Congress and the president."
Bush, declining to endorse DeLay's comments, said Friday that he supports "an independent judiciary." He added, "I believe in proper checks and balances."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said last week that the judges "handled it in a fair and independent way," although he had hoped for a different result.
Democrats have said DeLay's remarks were tantamount to inciting violence against judges.
Well, I suspect that the AP may be milking his comments for negativity towards DeLay the way a man in the desert would try to squeeze water out of a cactus. However, he should stay out of DeLay's business and not do the 'rat's work for them. Santorum has a tough election here in PA if Casey is the 'Rat nominee.
""We must continue to DEMAND A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR. Attacking Delay is their plan to get us to go away.""
Great post, FV~!! I totally agree!! The attacks on Delay are exactly what we expected.
A cold blooded, barbaric, murder is not like losing a child due to accident or illness.
IMO Santorum was sent to Fla to mitigate the disaster but it didn't work. People need to see the truth. This post is true.
Santorum is running for re-election and has no spine.
"" If they worked, then it's simply compensation for work. If they didn't do any real work, you are probably correct. So, which is it?""
Brett Hume, of Fox News, said this story is two years old. I thought I'd heard it before. What an outrage and nothing but an out right attack on Delay by the Demos and the MSM. The GOP better stand firm and support Delay, if they have any brains, IMO.
If anyone ever comes up with a credible allegation against Delay, then he can answer for it.
This is nothing but insinuation and inuendo, an attempt to win by slander and libel what they can't win at the ballot box.
If Hafer wins the 'rat primary he will have an easier time than with Casey. Casey is pro life and the whack job factions in the 'rat party will do every thing they can to torpedoe him, even though he is their best shot.
No.You say you are for Terri Schindler's right to live,
I didn't say that, but yes, I am.
trashing the lead Congressman in the fight
On a completely unrelated point, yes.
I never questioned the truth of the post. I just see U.S. Senators getting involved in other state's affairs as further blurring of the line between federal and state interests, thats all.
No, I fight plenty. I just choose to fight fights that I can win.
Well, if Delay hired two family members for low to reasonable pay and they actually worked, and if this is all the left has on him, then I'm ticked off. Delay has been a passionate and effective defender of many conservative causes not the least of which is the 2nd Amendment. I understand why the left hates him and we must come to his defense.
Typical spinless Senate.
Well, Jeb Bush wasn't going anywhere near Hospice. Maybe they elected Santorum to be the one. He brought his wife with him too.
Once the fed'ral gubment starts wondering into states' interests legislatively or judicially they never return to where they started out. They are there to stay. Of course this is just my opinion.
Remember how the feds handled the Elian Gonzales case. Be careful what you wish for is all I'm saying.
----Many do. They just dont pay anywhere as near as much as DeLay. They feel a need to at least act like they arent ripping off the taxpayer.----
Could you please back this up with some facts/figures???
Thanks
Elian Gonzalez was not an American.
agree!
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